System and method for controlling a pressure field around an aircraft in flight

Abstract

A system for controlling a pressure field around an aircraft in flight is disclosed herein. In a non-limiting embodiment, the system includes, but is not limited to, a plurality of pressure sensors that are arranged on the aircraft to measure the pressure field. The system further includes, but is not limited to, a controller that is communicatively coupled with the plurality of pressure sensors. The controller is configured to receive information that is indicative of the pressure field from the plurality of pressure sensors. The controller is also configured to determine when the pressure field deviates from a desired pressure field based on the information. The controller is also configured to transmit an instruction to a movable component onboard the aircraft that will cause the movable component to move in a manner that reduces the deviation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for controlling a pressure field around an aircraft in flight, the system comprising:
 a plurality of pressure sensors arranged at a plurality of locations extending along an external surface of the aircraft, each pressure sensor configured to measure a respective local pressure; 
 a primary controller configured to control movement of a movable component onboard the aircraft; and 
 a controller communicatively coupled with the plurality of pressure sensors, the controller configured to receive information indicative of the-respective local pressure from each pressure sensor and to compile each respective local pressure to determine the pressure field along the external surface of the aircraft, to determine when the pressure field deviates from a desired pressure field based on the information, and to transmit a request to the primary controller to move the movable component in a manner that reduces the deviation, and wherein the primary controller is further configured to evaluate the request and to comply with the request only when the request does not conflict with a control law governing the primary controller. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the movable component comprises a propulsion system component. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the movable component comprises a flight control surface. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure field deviates from the desired pressure field when a pressure gradient of the pressure field exceeds a pressure gradient of the desired pressure field. 
     
     
       5. A system for controlling a pressure field around an aircraft in flight, the system comprising:
 a plurality of pressure sensors arranged at a plurality of locations extending along an external surface on the aircraft, each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors positioned to measure a respective local air pressure proximate a respective portion of an external surface of the aircraft proximate a propulsion system of the aircraft; 
 a first movable component mounted on the aircraft and disposed in a position that alters the pressure field when the first movable component moves while the aircraft is in flight; 
 a first primary controller operatively coupled with the first movable component and configured to control movement of the first movable component; and 
 a controller communicatively coupled with the plurality of pressure sensors and communicatively coupled with the first primary controller, the controller configured to receive information from each pressure sensor indicative of the respective local air pressure and to compile each respective local air pressure to compute the pressure field along the external surface of the aircraft based on the information, to detect a deviation between the pressure field and an anticipated pressure field caused by the propulsion system of the aircraft, and to send a first request to the first primary controller to move the first movable component in a manner that diminishes the deviation when the deviation is detected, and wherein the first primary controller is further configured to evaluate the first request and to comply with the first request only when the first request does not conflict with a control law governing the first primary controller. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first movable component comprises a flight control surface. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first movable component comprises a propulsion system component. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 5 , wherein detecting the deviation comprises comparing a pressure gradient of the pressure field with a corresponding pressure gradient of the anticipated pressure field. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to send the first instruction when the deviation exceeds a predetermined deviation. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a second movable component mounted on the aircraft and disposed in a second position that alters the pressure field when the second movable component moves while the aircraft is in flight, and still further comprising a second primary controller operatively coupled with the second movable component and configured to control movement of the second movable component,
 wherein the controller is communicatively coupled with the second primary controller and configured to transmit a second request to the second primary controller to move the second movable component in a manner that diminishes the deviation when the deviation is detected and wherein the second primary controller is further configured to evaluate the second request and to comply with the second request only when the second request does not conflict with a control law governing the second primary controller. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to send the second request when movement of the first movable component fails to diminish the deviation by a predetermined amount. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to send the second request when the first movable component does not move in response to the first request. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors is positioned to measure the respective air pressure proximate a propulsion system inlet. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors is positioned to measure the respective air pressure proximate a propulsion system nozzle. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors is positioned to measure the respective air pressure proximate a portion of the external surface where a shock generated by a structure of the aircraft intercepts the external surface. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 5 , further comprising an electronic data storage unit communicatively coupled with the controller and configured to store information indicative of a plurality of anticipated pressure fields,
 wherein the controller is configured to retrieve the information from the electronic data storage unit and to use the information to detect the deviation between the pressure field and the anticipated pressure field. 
 
     
     
       17. A method for controlling a pressure field around an aircraft in flight, the method comprising:
 measuring the pressure field with a plurality of pressure sensors arranged at a plurality of locations extending along an external surface of the aircraft, each pressure sensor configured to measure a respective local pressure; 
 receiving, at a controller, information from the plurality of pressure sensors indicative of the respective local pressure from each pressure sensor; 
 compiling each respective local pressure to determine the pressure field along the external surface of the aircraft; 
 determining, with the controller, when the pressure field deviates from a desired pressure field based, at least in part, on the information from the plurality of pressure sensors; 
 transmitting, with the controller, a request to a primary controller configured to control movement of a movable component onboard the aircraft the request requesting the primary controller to move the movable component to move in a manner that reduces the deviation; 
 evaluating the request by the primary controller to ascertain whether the request conflicts with a control law governing the primary controller; and 
 moving the movable component with the primary controller when the request does not conflict with the control law.